Devoted wife and mother Sylvia Leonard Starkey, 89, passed away at Rockledge Regional Medical Center in Rockledge Florida on June 4, 2024. She is survived by children Kim LaFrance (Kevin), Bruce, Mike and Susie Freeman and grandchildren Elizabeth, Emily, David, Sarah, Brad and Sylas. She is preceded in death by husband Walt, parents Maryan Leonard and Katherine Dendowski Leonard, sister Caroline Sadlowsky, brother “Sonny” Leonard, son-in-law Don Freeman, niece Jeanette and beautiful granddaughter Erin. Sylvia was born to Polish immigrants on May 10, 1935, along with identical twin Mildred “Mickey” in Gary, Indiana. Her family, which eventually included 5 siblings and 5 half-siblings, moved to Melbourne, Florida to start a family farm, Leonard’s Strawberry farm. Farm life and going to school was a dawn to dusk job. In her spare time, she and Mickey (always close companions) tended and rode horses and were naturally gifted artists, adorning the family home with oil paintings they would paint together, mostly of horses. Sylvia graduated from Melbourne high school in 1955 and went to work for civil service in 1957 at Patrick AFB (working in the same office as the Gemini astronauts!), and met her future husband, Walt Starkey, on a blind date arranged by Mickey and boyfriend/future husband Vic Chretien. Sylvia and Walt married in 1962, bought a house in Merritt Island, Florida, and Sylvia became a stay-at-home mom in 1964 after the birth of their first child. They would have 3 more children over the next 10 years, and Sylvia would always have a vegetable garden, fruit trees and a beautifully manicured yard. She could be described as practical, she valued common sense, and would have no part in gossip. Sylvia had a quiet strength and was a constant strong supporter of her husband and children, always encouraging them to pursue their talents, do well in school, and be college minded. The family enjoyed trips to Leonard’s farm to pick strawberries, summer vacations to Walt’s family home in Pennsylvania and Mickey’s family in Virginia and camping trips in their pop-up camper. Holidays and special occasions were often spent with the Leonard side of the family, and Sylvia enjoyed a close relationship with older sister Caroline who lived close by. The Starkey family were devoted members of Divine Mercy Catholic Church. Sylvia went back to civil service work when the youngest, Susie, started school in 1979. She also took back up her love of oil painting, and especially enjoyed painting portraits of her children and grandchildren. As the children grew up, Sylvia would always have a dog or two by her side. She retired in 1999 after 26+ years of federal service and continued to garden, paint, spend time with Caroline and enjoy yearly visits to Mickey in Virginia. Often, Walt would go up to Pennsylvania and Sylvia would remain in Virginia with Mickey, gardening and planting all day long with dogs by their side. They also enjoyed visits to the homes of their children in Colorado and Texas. There is a special place in Sylvia’s children’s hearts for Walt, who sacrificially took care of Sylvia in later years as she experienced dementia and for her assisted living facility “family”, owner Shelia and caregiver Keri. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to Divine Mercy Catholic Church St. Vincent de Paul Society, 1940 N Courtenay Pkwy, Merritt Island, FL 32953 or to your favorite animal non-profit.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
v.1.11.1